


Days go by (but memories, they last)

by kiirian



Category: Disco Elysium
Genre: Fluff, Kissing, Love Confession, M/M, how I would have played the game, how they got together, lot's of hugging, spoiler: with lots of hugging, starts during the game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:54:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21823981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiirian/pseuds/kiirian
Summary: Kim knew that even if they parted ways after that case he would always think of Harry while smoking. It seemed like a huge bother, to associate one of his only vices with that man, with a walking disaster that was Harry. If he knew it would end like that he wouldn't have agreed to that. But that man had his own special way of sneaking under his defences.
Relationships: Harry Du Bois/Kim Kitsuragi
Comments: 5
Kudos: 100





	Days go by (but memories, they last)

Kim Kitsuragi had a really long day. He wasn’t used to running so much and the Jamrock shuffle wasn’t exactly his thing. He preferred to move steadily towards the goal. There was nothing more satisfying than checking off another lead from a list written in his notepad. Yet in his current case, the more chaotic approach seemed to be working miracles. Harry, the name he got after three days of working together, was like a living hurricane, running from place to place, to ask seemingly random questions. It led them to discover new cases that weren’t even remotely connected to the case of lynching. But some of them were in the most unexpected ways. Kim knew, that if he wanted a good map of connections between all of the small and big cases, he would need a board to mark them all. Harry caught those connections on a fly, he didn’t even write down any information.

And the memory of that man was outstanding. For an amnesiac, he could remember even the smallest details and recall them days later. Kim had to squash down a sound of surprise every time Harry came up with another precise question for their witness. Unfortunately, until they got the body off of the tree Kim couldn't ask their most important witness for more details. Klaasje would have to wait on her balcony for another day. He felt sorry for Harry every time he hurled under that tree, but they needed the body to move forward. 

With a sigh, Kim turned from Klaasje’s door. 

“I think this will be all for now.” Harry looked around the first-floor and headed towards his room. 

Kim nodded and hid his notepad under his jacket. He needed a smoke and, maybe later, a long bath. He wondered if Harry would be staying the night in the hotel. If he did, he would have to wait with his bath until the other man was done with his business in the restroom. The joys of a shared bathroom never ceased. 

“Can I join you for a smoke?” A question jolted Kim from his wandering. 

He didn’t even realize that he was moving towards the balcony like he did every day since coming to the hotel. 

“Of course, detective.” They both stepped outside through the glass door. 

The air was cold but fresh. It smelled like ozone and maybe a little bit of fish. Kim lit up his cigarette. He took a long drag and felt it move into his lungs. He let it stay there for a second before exhaling. He watched the smoke dance around in the darkness before it got lost in the wind. 

“Could I...” Harry hesitated. “Can I borrow a lighter?” 

He looked a little bit frustrated, even under the usual redness of his nose and cheeks there was a blush visible. Kim took out a lighter and ignited it. He brought it up, waiting for Harry to follow his lead. The detective put his cigarette into his mouth and bowed a little to catch the fire. He quickly stood up once the end became a red amber. 

“How are you so cool?” Harry mumbled under his breath. 

“Excuse me?” Kim tried to stifle a chuckle. 

His partner often blurted things out, but most of the times he did it to get some information. It wasn’t that often he did it to Kim. And when he did, with that look of a lost, alcoholic puppy, Kim just tried not to show how funny or adorable he found it. They were grown man after all. 

“It’s just that you always act like you know what you are doing. And you have that cool pen and know what to say. You also dress so nicely. I thought it was something you are taught when you become a part of the homo-sexual underground or maybe it just comes to you. But now I’m also part of the underground and I still can’t dress. So, it means it’s just you. You and that smoking guy from the balcony. You two dress so sharply and are so cool. I feel like I should be taking notes.” 

Kim took another drag of his cigarette. He didn’t know if he should feel flattered. He decided to let Harry finish. Sometimes his speeches had some deeper meaning that only came out at the end. 

“And you are handsome. I mean I have gotten rid of the Look, but it’s so much worse now! I look even older and I can only smile a little bit. But when you smile it’s so natural. Or if you don’t smile your eyes get so happy when I say something stupid. I think they are doing it right now.” 

Kim blinked and tried to assess what kind of face he was making. He thought he kept it neutral or at least as neutral as he could get. Finally, he sighed. 

“Harry, there is no secret of me being cool. There is no special training for homosexuals. But if there is, I wasn’t informed of one.” He tried joking. 

“So, it’s just you? You are just that awesome?” 

Kim could feel his ears getting red. He hoped that the frisky air would be an excuse for it. 

“It seems like it.” 

Harry nodded, like that explained everything. They smoked for a little while longer. Both of them rested on the railing and looked at the sea. The sound of waves reached them, but the birds were silent. Some shouting from the yard disturbed the silence and soon after Kuno came from a hole in the fence. He looked up at them, shouted some insults and went between the building. After that only wind and waves accompanied them. 

“What happens later?” Harry spoke up. 

“We go to sleep and tomorrow maybe we finally crack this case. “ 

“No, I mean after we solve it. What happens to me? To us?’ 

“Even though you don’t seem to remember your past it seems that people at your station remember you. I think once we finish this you should contact them. You must have a house or a flat to live in.” 

“Yeah okay. What will you do then?” 

“I will write a report.” 

Harry frowned but didn’t continue. He seemed a little deflated. Kim finished smoking and turned from the railing. 

“It’s time for my detective. Good night.” 

He moved back into the hotel and straight into his room. He thought about what Harry wanted to hear from him. They were good partners, he actually liked working with him. That couldn’t be said about most of his co-workers back from the Precinct 57. But he also knew that he had become a crouch for Harry, the only stable thing in the world he knew nothing about. Or maybe he was reading too much into it, maybe Harry got the answer he wanted. A nice, logic answer. Nothing to do with saying how well they fitted together, how after four days of working together Kim found himself smitten. He tried to disregard those thoughts and moved through his room. He took off most of his clothes, leaving only boxers and took out his pajama pants from one of the shelves. He checked if the bathroom was occupied, but the other room was dark and empty. It looked like Harry had decided to sleep in the shack again. With a sigh, Kim closed the door to the other room and started running a bath. 

He wondered about bringing his notepad with him, to be able to write things down while he sat in the warm water. Writing things down always eased his mind. He could pluck the most important things from his running thought and pin them down on paper. That way he could make sense of nearly everything. During the last four days, he had often wondered about making a separate case for his thought connected to Harry. That man was so unpredictable and complicated that Kim would need to analyze a lot of information to even grasp the basics. 

With the water filling half of the tub he decided to get in. He knew, from experience, that bringing paper into a bath wasn’t a good idea. He still didn’t recover the files that fell into his bath at home. He leaned back against the tub and wondered about the mess he would have to face tomorrow. Without his notes to show him a step by step he had planned to do, he felt almost hopeless. They seemed to be taking one step forward and two steps back. And that damn body was still hanging in the backyard. Kim looked at his hands. They were steady hands, hands that could write very quickly but also take a good shot. If not for his eyesight, he would have been a great shooter. His thoughts turned into the idea of shooting the body down. Kuno and that little girl would like that idea. Harry wouldn’t be opposing either. As long as he saw some sense in doing something, that cop would do it. Even if no other person saw that sense. 

There was some sound from the other room, a banging of the door and then the light came from under the bathroom’s door. 

Kim moved around in the bath. He didn’t know how should he proceed in that kind of situation. Should he shout that the bathroom was occupied or should he wait for Harry to try to get in. Before he could decide the door opened on its own. Harry caught his haze before quickly jumping back and slamming the door behind himself. 

“Sorry! I didn’t know” He exclaimed loudly. 

‘It’s fine.” This time Kim couldn't contain his laughter. 

This whole situation was ridicules. 

“I just... Wait, are you laughing? 

“I am most certainly not.“ The quiet chuckle at the end betrayed him. 

“You are! I finally made you laugh! By being a moron, I guess, but it still counts.” 

Kim chuckled again. 

“Do you want to use the bathroom now or can I lounge a little bit longer?” 

“No, no stay. I just wanted to check if I can put the look back on my face again. It can wait.” 

Kim relaxed in his bath. He felt that Harry wanted to say something more. Maybe ask another question. That helpless, romantic side of him perked its head once again. He ignored it and started to count the tiles. 

“Kim? I think the guy that has been sitting in the restaurant downstairs knows me. I think he may be from my district.” 

It wasn’t disappointment that washed over him. No, he was just cold from the draft coming from the open door to his room. 

“I have told you: I’m not getting into that.” 

“So, I am right! I knew it. It means I probably know that woman too. Why didn’t they tell me about it? I’ve talked to both of them. They may have some info on who I was.” 

Kim didn’t reply. He had a feeling that Harry had quite a reputation back in his district. After they had found his badge it was obvious that he worked hard. A thud was heard from behind the doors. 

“Harry?” 

“I’m fine. I just had to sit down. On the floor. It’s comfy.” 

“I bet it is. Give me a few minutes to finish my bath and I can talk with you face to face.” 

“No, seriously stay in your bath. This way I’m not subjected to your scary eyebrow of doom.” 

“My what?” 

“That thing you do every time I ask you for a secret. You know. When you are sending a clear message, you won’t tell me a secret and that I would better stop asking or you will destroy me and my whole family.” 

Kim furrowed his brow and thought back to any situation similar to what Harry was talking about. He didn’t like anyone getting into his business, but he didn’t do anything with his brows to signal that. He tried to be neutral most of the time. 

“It’s another cool thing about you. You can show your authority with just one eyebrow. It’s amazing.” 

“I sincerely don’t know what you are talking about.” 

“Yes, yes. I know. It will be our secret” Harry whispered through the door. 

Kim shook his head. He knew that he was smiling and didn’t even try to conceal it. 

“So why do you need to hide from my eyebrows to talk?” 

“Yes, well. I wanted to talk some more about what comes after. I know you are planning on going back to your district. But maybe, just maybe, you could come and work with me? Or I can go and work with you. We make a great team and by staying with you I could learn how to be cool and stuff.” 

“You want to work with me to become cool.” 

“Not only that! I think we play off each other's strengths, which makes us good partners.” He sounded almost proud of himself for saying it so cleverly. 

“Our work together has yet to bring any real results, Harry.” 

A disappointed whine came through the door. 

“I am not saying no. I am just pointing out the fact. And I want you to know, I will think about it.” 

“Yes! I mean, that’s cool! Really cool. Thank you.” 

“Of course. Now let me enjoy my bath.” 

Harry stood up from the floor and went about readying himself for bed. Kim wondered if he would really ask for reassignment. He needed to make a good list of advantages and disadvantages. 

Next day, they finally cracked the ice cream freezer wide open. Harry was leading them to the church when Kim slipped on the ice. The other detective caught him effortlessly and set him straight. 

“You alright?” There was a trace of worry that overclouded the excitement from finishing another task. 

“Yes, yes. We can go on.” 

“Hmm. You are shorter than me.” 

Kim blinked, then blinked again. 

“Yes, detective. I am.” 

“Which means you have to take many more steps than I do. And when we are walking on ice, you are under a much higher risk of slipping.” 

“Yes. I would say that is correct.” 

Harry nodded to himself. He let go of the lieutenant and moved forwards much more slowly. 

“You don’t have to slow down for me.” The irritation was palpable. 

“I don’t have to. But I want to.” Harry looked over his shoulder and actually winked at him. 

Then he seemed to realized what he had done and turned forward. If not for a white hat covering his head a red splash on his neck would be visible. Kim shook his head, but didn’t comment. From that one man he knew he should take kindness at its face value. Harry seemed to be too straight forward to making fun of him in that kind of way. The moved towards the church a little bit slower. 

“It’s a shame. The fact they never finished the game.” Harry padded the pocket in which the cube with the off-site copy was located. “It would have been so good. We could play it even if we stayed in different districts.” 

“We can always play board games face to face.” 

“I know. But is such a long ride from 57th to 41th. That way I could radio you at any time and we could play.” 

“Unfortunately, we are both working man, we wouldn't have time to play.” 

“Maybe I should just resign? Become a game cop? I could play games all the time and if I found out that someone broke the rules, I would come to arrest them.” 

“And how would you get money from this?” 

“I could ask that man from the container. That light bending guy.” 

Kim looked up from Harry’s back. He sometimes got too occupied in following his partner and staring at his firmly muscled backside. All that running paid off in some ways at least. They were past the fishing village and soon they would be near the church. 

“I would like to remind you that only you saw that light bending. And with your amnesia, I would say it’s another symptom of some neurological problem.” 

“It isn’t that. The guy himself told me it was that he was so rich that even light flew to him. Or was it Logic? I don’t remember.” 

Kim shook his head even though Harry wasn’t even looking. 

“It doesn’t work that way. Besides your salary can’t be worse than mine. You are lieutenant double-yefreitor.” 

“I don’t get it either. Maybe I have debts. Maybe that’s why I tried to lose my memories.” 

Harry stopped and looked at Kim with a panicked look in his eyes. 

“What if I am running from the mafia and the strain of it was too great? I decided to lose myself in the bottle so even if they found me, I would be too drunk to care?” 

“You shouldn't have done that in the place you were sent into by your work station.” 

Like many times before Harry thought about Kim’s rebuttal of his worries and decided it was sound. 

“You are right. It would be stupid of me. I don’t think I’m running from the mafia.” 

“Good. You were telling me about the games you wanted to play.” 

“Yes. So, since we had so much time playing together earlier, I thought we could do it again.” 

“We can. Even if we work in different districts, we can still meet you know, that right?” 

Harry moved forward again but kept glancing back at Kim. 

“It won’t be the same. The thing we have here, it’s working. Who knows if I get a partner even half as good back home? Even if I do, I know they aren’t here.” 

“We will see. Let’s bring that off-site copy to its rightful owner, okay?” 

Getting Egg Head to listen to them was almost as painful as the music he kept playing but once they did it went downhill. The vibration coming from another realm, the complete negation shook them both to the core. They left the church on shaking legs. Once outside Kim grabbed Harry’s arm. 

“How did you know? About the Pale and the consequences.” 

“It is logical. And I think I was interested in it before all this” He motioned towards his head. “I feel like I have read a theory like that somewhere.” 

“That’s a far-reaching theory. A very scary theory.” 

That made Harry look at him more closely. He seemed unhappy with what he found on the lieutenant's face. He grabbed the arm with which Kim was holding him and pulled him closer. Soon he had his arms around the smaller man and was gently hugging him. 

“What are you doing?” Kim wanted to lean against him, he really did. 

Self-preservation kept him from relaxing. He knew better than to fall into a trap, especially in a public place. Even when said place was outside a mostly abandonment church in the middle of nowhere. 

“I’m hugging you. Because the world is a scary place and we all need a hug from time to time to be able to deal with it.” 

That was so purely Harry that Kim just relented and hugged him back. There was no way that guy was playing him. He would have to be playing him from day one. 

“Thank you then. It seems I’ve neglected your hugging need after you have first learned of the pale.” 

“You did. But it is alright. You are catching up now.” 

They stood there for a few minutes. This time Harry had donned on some clean clothes, probably washed by the washerwoman. He smelled like soap and cigarettes. It was a huge upgrade from his first day and smell of vomit and booze lingering around him. His big, warm hands rested on the small of Kim’s back while his breath tickled his partner's hair. Kim clutched the back of Harry’s jacket. It’s worn leather felt nicely under his gloves. There were many thoughts running through his head. The steady breath of his partner let him keep all those connected with oncoming doom at bay. He knew that one day he would die, but to know that all he loved would be overtaken by pure nothingness was too much. 

He closed his eyes. He ignored the pain of his glasses pushing against his face and burrowed into Harry’s chest. His insides seemed to be twisting around themselves, but when the hand on his back made a steady circle to calm him, he actually felt a little bit better. Harry started humming gently under his breath. It was a slow, rhythmic melody. A quick thought of sound not existing in the pale flashed through the lieutenant's mind but he quickly squashed it down. He focused on the vibration he felt under his cheek. It was real. Not that thing in the church. Harry was real. The sound of the waves was real. They were real and once they leave that awful part of town, they would also be safe. Or safer. Being shot at seemed much easier than total annihilation. 

“Thank you.” Kim moved back. 

Snow started falling while they were standing there. It like the last snow of that spring. Its whiteness reminded him too much of the bleakness of the Pale. 

“Don’t worry about. I’m a great hugger. I think I should become the hug cop. Cop of hugging. You can hug me anytime.” 

Kim looked up and caught his partner’s gaze. He actually smiled. And the effect it had on Harry was spectacular. He blushed, from his neck to the tops of his ears. He moved his gaze all around Kim’s face as he was trying to remember every detail. Kim turned away so he wouldn't see how that smile turned to a little smirk. Kim knew what it meant; he hadn’t imagined anything. 

It went downhill from that. Once given permission Harry seemed to seek contact all the time. Instead of saying something to get Kim’s attention he would gently nudge him. When they needed to go somewhere, he would catch his hand and wouldn't let go until they reached their destination. It all came to the head when they met the racist lorry driver. His whole person made Kim’s hackles rise. He knew the type well, he had to endure them since he knew how to speak. People like that usually got their hate from their parents which meant that they were mean even as kids. Being pushed around just because he looked different was nothing new. But he was a police officer, which meant no one could push him anywhere. He tried to conceal the disgust he felt while talking to the lorry driver, but he knew that it was obvious. Even Harry, with his lack of social skill and knowledge of the decorum, knew that something was wrong. They left the racist far behind before Harry turned to him. 

“Should I punch him?” 

“What” 

“I would like to punch him, a lot. But I don’t know if that will make you happy or angry. So, I’m asking.” 

Kim nodded his head approvingly. 

“It’s a good thing, that you are asking. And yes, it would make me angry. “ 

“I just don’t understand. Why is he such an asshole? You have never met him. He even makes a point of being an asshole by greeting people! So, it is the whole point that he doesn’t know them!” 

“People like him don’t want to know anyone different than them. They just need someone to blame. And it is easier to blame people who are visibly different.” 

Harry started walking from one parked car to the other. He clenched his fists and looked ready to bit someone up. His usually long steps got even longer and each time his foot touched the ground a quiet splash of melting snow was heard. 

“And people are like that all the time? And we can’t just arrest them?” 

“We could try to frame it as a hate speech. But no one gets arrested for just being a jerk and what he said wasn’t outright insulting. So even if we tried to arrest him or give him a ticket he could always file a complaint that we did so unjustly.” 

Harry kicked a tire of the nearest truck. He stood frozen for a second before turning to Kim. 

“That actually hurt. Okay, so I can’t do anything legally. But I can still punch him.” 

“That would be even worse. He would get money from you after the case reaches the court.” Kim shrugged. “I did what I think was best. Showing them that you are also a living, thinking person can work miracles. And it isn’t in our power to change everyone's opinion.” 

His partner still looked undecided. Like he was torn between agreeing with him and going back to punch that racist. 

“And how are you so calm about this?” 

“I’ve had my fair share encounters with people like him. Once you get a gun and a badge it gets easier.” 

Kim moved closer to catch Harry’s forearm. 

“It’s nice of you to care, but I got this. I have learned to deal with this.” 

“And if you don’t, will you tell me? I mean, I know you are capable. I just want you to know I’m here for you.” 

“Yes, I will.” 

The quiet moment was shattered by Cuno shouting at the birds surrendering the place where the body fell from the tree. 

“I think we took away his only past time.” Kim said with mock regret. 

“Maybe we should tell him about the abandoned gym? He could work on his arms. Get the speed of the rocks to a subpar level.” 

“He would be even more of a menace than he already is. It’s better not to give him more ammo.” 

“I should start going to a gym.” 

“How come?” 

“My stomach. It disturbs my Jamrock shuffle.” 

“I think a better diet would work miracles here. With all that running you don’t seem to need more exercise.” 

Harry looked critically at himself. 

“The doctor did say about eating more magnesium.” 

Kim shook his head. This time he was the one to pull Harry along. 

“Come on. We can write you a healthy diet once we are done here.” 

Two days. Two days Kim stood vigil by Harry’s bedside. He washed him, dressed his wounds. He had managed to feed his partner small parts of food in the moments of lucidity. All along the way, he couldn't get rid of his own headache. That woman got him hard and he still saw double from time to time. He often sat on the floor, next to Harry’s head so he could hear his breathing. He needed to be sure that his partner was alive, but his eyes were tired from staring at Harry for too long. And that pain often moved from his eyes to his head, which made everything even worse. Lawrence had proposed bringing another mattress into the room, but Kim had declined. He didn’t want to clutter the place just after it got tidied up. Besides putting a mattress there would mean that Harry was truly sick or dying, not just resting. Kim couldn't even get himself to write anything about the whole situation in his notepad. Not until he was sure that Harry would be alright. And after two days of sleeping on the floor and only leaving to get some food, he went back to the room to find Harry wide awake. He sat on the sofa, looking confused at the state of his room and the whole situation. 

“Ouch” 

“Yes. Ouch alright. You got hit in the thigh. Fortunately for you, they missed all to the main arteries.” 

“What about you? Are you hurt?” 

“Just a small concussion.” He tried to sound and look reassuring, but moving his face only caused his bruises to burn. 

“And the Hardy boys? What happened?” 

“Titus is alive. Three of them got shot and died. We did kill all of the mercenaries.” Kim paused so his next words would be heard without any mistake. “Thank you. For warning me about that woman.” 

Harry looked at him through pained eyes and smiled. He sat a little bit more straight then rose his arm. 

“I demand a hug for it.” 

Kim looked at him incredulously but followed through. He got closer and when a strong arm gently tucked at his hand he kneeled at the sofa. Harry moved him so he would be leaning against him. He put his head under Harry’s chin out of his own free will. The human contact, the most basic proof that they both had survived was what he needed. He could feel a study heartbeat and that eased most of his worries. 

“I thought I got us killed.” Harry confessed. “I thought that was it. After I got shot and saw that woman coming at you all I could think was that I pulled you into that mess and you had to pay the price. Hell, this whole case is a mess, but you had to deal not only with it but also with me. No one deserves that.” 

Kim could hear Harry’s voice even before it left his chest. He felt like finally, the adrenalin let go of him. It took two days, but he could at least let go of being on constant alert. Harry was safe. They would be able to move forward. Even though he had no idea where they could move from that. 

“You didn’t pull me into anything. This is my job as a police officer.” 

“Yeah, but I make everything so much harder.”   
“And if I wanted it to stop, I could have resigned from this case at any point in time. I have a good record, no one would ask any questions.” That last part wasn’t exactly true. 

“And yet here you are.” 

“Here I am.” 

Harry hummed the same melody he did days back in front of the church. He started petting Kim’s back like he was some overgrown cat. The lieutenant didn’t oppose to it. 

“Who took care of my wounds? Was there a doctor here?” 

“No. I did. To the best of my ability.” 

The hand at his back froze for a second before reassuming. 

“Thank you.” 

Harry nuzzled into his head. He seemed content to just stay like that, but the same restlessness that drove him around even in the middle of the night caught up with again. 

“What do we do now?” 

Kim gently shrugged. He turned his head so his ear rested on Harry’s chest. With his legs folded, he felt incredibly comfortable. 

“We can talk to Tidus. Maybe check out Klaasje’s room.” 

“There are no new leads?” 

“No.” 

They stayed silent for a while. Kim reached into his pocket carefully, so he wouldn't jostle the arm that found its way around him. He took out a cigarette and lit it up. After taking a long drag he passed it to Harry. They smoked together, sharing a quiet moment. The smell of tobacco surrounded them and Kim knew that even if they parted ways after that case he would always think of Harry while smoking. It seemed like a huge bother, to associate one of his only vices with that man, with a walking disaster that was Harry. If he knew it would end like that he wouldn't have agreed to that. But that man had his own special way of sneaking under his defences. 

“Did anyone from my precinct show up? To help me?” 

“No. I have informed them of our situation. But it seems we are at our own.” 

Harry accepted that with a little wince. He passed the cigarette back for the last time. His agitation was visible from miles away. 

“We can leave now if you want. I will help you limp wherever you need.” 

“Yes. Okay, let’s start with Tidus.” 

It was some time after the case was closed, they met again. Exactly two weeks after, not that Kim was counting. After telling his captain about the war coming, he also asked to be reassigned to the 41th. There was some confusion, but whenever someone outright asked him about that decision they were met with a blank face. It was his decision and he didn’t need to explain himself to anyone. Only his captain heard the full story. Maybe not full, but at least a part of it. He told him about a great partner he had found and how much help that understaffed region would need. After all, was settled, he collected his things and drove to his new station. He hadn’t informed Harry beforehand, but he had a feeling that the man knew already. As he got into the building and found the right floor he got swept into a strong, warm hug. 

“Not here Du Bois!” He heard a muffled scream of Jean. 

Harry tightened his old before stepping back to look at Kim. 

“You came. Good. I was afraid that all of the board games I’ve ordered would go to waste.” 

“And we couldn't do that to your board games.” 

There was a crinkle in Harry’s eyes as he smiled at Kim’s jab. 

“No, we couldn't. Come on. Let me show you your desk.” 

Of course, they worked next to each other. While Kim’s desk stayed pristine even after he worked at the station for a month, Harry’s went through different stages of chaos. Jean actually complemented lieutenant double-yefreitor for keeping it mostly to his desk. 

“He is trying. Compared to what was before, he really is trying” Jude told Kim with an encouraging smile. 

All of the other members of the Major Crimes Unit took to Kim almost instantly. It was both because of his own quiet charisma and the way he and Harry worked together. People seemed almost grateful. Jean mentioned once, over drinks, that it was like Harry was back to being engaged. 

“That weird look in his eyes. Like a drunk who has found something in the bottle, he thought was empty. It is sweet, in its own twisted way.” 

Harry also got some good point for making every Tuesday evening a regular board game time. He got everyone into playing with him and Kim. He was often responsible for the rules since he spent so much time reading about board games. He told Kim it was fine with him since he could never decide on a strategy seeing how others did it was educational. And he also collected bets on who would win each game. Kim didn’t want to encourage any gambling habit but still found it sweet that Harry always betted on him. He, of course, wasn’t wrong; Kim did win most of the time. Jude turned out to be his main competition. Both of them could get really into character and sometimes stayed even longer than others to finish their stories with Harry narrating them till midnight. Because of that Kim often ended up sleeping on the lieutenant's sofa. 

To make it fair he asked Harry to come over on weekends so he could see Precinct 57 on his own. Harry seemed to abstinently wrap his arm around his middle or link their hands while they were walking somewhere. Kim squeezed his fingers as a show of his approval. They still shared cigarettes in the evening. Harry joked how that would be beneficial for their heaths. It was during one of those late-night outings, while they were sharing a cigarette that Harry decided to change things. 

“Kim, I would like to ask you something.” 

“Yes?” 

“Do you remember how I asked you about the homosexual underground?” 

“It is quite hard to forget.” 

“Okay, so I did some research. I was confused. Because I loved Dora. I know I did. And she was beautiful. But so was the guy on the balcony. And well, so are you. Of course, it’s not that you are only beautiful. You are also smart and kind and patient. Not what I wanted to talk about. Okay about that also, but later. So, I did some research. And I found out I can be a member of the homosexual underground, but not full time. Just part-time. Or more like, I can be a part of an underground connected to the homosexuals: the bisexual middle ground. “Harry seemed to run out of breath. 

He looked straight at Kim like he wanted to share some secret by just staring it right into Kim’s soul. 

“And I thought if maybe I liked you so much because you were the first kind person I’ve met. Okay, second after Lena. But now, when I have most of my memories back, I can say that’s not it. I just like you because you are smart and laugh at my jokes. Even though you try to hide it. And you get into board games so much that me and Jean have to make sure you and Jude won’t kill each other. And you have so much passion for what we are doing and at the days you don’t, you only need to sit with me for an hour to get back on track. Oh, and if you do move in with me you will leave closer to the station. And we can buy a cute dog. Or a cat. And travel around during the weekends.” 

Kim put out the cigarette he was smoking and got closer to Harry. He gently pulled him down and kissed him. It wasn’t a great kiss since Harry seemed too stressed not to mess anything up. 

“I will move in. But while I will be taking care of cleaning the flat, I expect some help.” 

“You will? You will! Of course.” 

Harry moved forward and this time made their kiss a proper one. His still growing beard scratched his partner’s cheek a little. The finally broke apart. 

“Come on. Let’s go back home” Kim took his hand and tugged him into one of the narrow streets. 

It wasn’t exactly all rainbows after Kim moved in. They both had their habits and were unused to living with another person. Yet even the prospect of looking for his toothbrush for five minutes didn’t look that awful after full night of sleep next to the person you cared about. There were some topics they could never look eye-to-eye about. Like music, they would play in the evening. Harry’s love to disco was eternal. Even though he tolerated things that Kim played out of his old speakers; he would always turn the music back to disco. To make things just Kim got to choose which movie they would watch. Unfortunately taking care of house chores often fell solely to Kim. He didn’t complain unless Harry made a really big mess. Putting things into their rightful place put his mind at ease. The problem with Harry’s drinking also seemed to calm down. They went to bars with the squad, especially after a closed case, but Harry always kept on slowly drinking one or maybe two mugs of Pilsner. 

“It’s easier. You know what I am dealing with. Most of the time you are dealing with it too.” He confessed one day, after a long case connected to child trafficking. 

“Shared experiences are proven to hurt less.” 

“Yeah. And I don’t have to explain myself. And well, I was even more of a disaster when we met, so I can only get better.” 

“I think this is an insult towards me. Since I fell for you back when you were such a huge mess.” 

Harry hugged him closer to his chest. They were lying on their sofa, with their cat curled up on top of their legs. The snow kept falling outside of the window, which would make finding evidence that much harder. But for the moment it made their apartment seem cosy and welcoming. 

“You just had a really big heart. Or you just knew how much of the potential I have.” 

“I don’t think it was either of that.” 

Kim propped his cheek against Harry’s belly. He was leaning against his partner with a blanket laid on top of his legs. 

“So? What was it?” A scared kind of excitement could be heard in that question. 

“I’m just as mad as you are. And I have a soft spot for people who get the job done.” 

“That’s it? Nothing about my good looks? My charisma?” 

“When we first met you were dealing with a hangover and drug withdrawal. I can’t say you looked very good.” 

Harry pouted. With his trimmed beard, it made him look childish. It actually made Kim smile. 

“Alright. If you really want to hear why I not only dealt with your amnesia but also decided to follow you here, I will say it. But just once.” 

“Yes! Okay, I’m listening.” 

“You are also cool.” 

“Huh?” 

“That and all the hugging. You are really good at this.” 

“So, all I had to do was being a cool hugger who gets things done?” 

“Well, there is also your unfortunate sense of humour. All that trivia you keep sharing with everyone. And you don’t look that bad with a beard.” 

Harry nodded along. When he decided that his partner was finished, he moved forward and planted a quick kiss on his lips. 

“Do you want to know why I love you?” 

“You do? Yes, let me hear it.” 

“Okay, so you aren’t perfect. You make little mistakes, but you always get over them. And when I’ behaving badly you tell me about it. Which shows you care.” 

Kim blushed so much he felt his ears burning. He knew that Harry cared for him deeply. He also was getting used to hearing all those compliments. But a love confession was much ore out there. 

“I love you too.” He croaked. 

“I know.” 

Harry only winked at him. 

**Author's Note:**

> like i said, lot's of huggs. we should hug each other much more, it's good for your health!


End file.
